"I got replaced so fast" - Venus Williams playfully reacts to Carlos Alcaraz teaming up with Iga Swiatek for US Open Kids' Day
Tennis legend Venus Williams recently made a lighthearted remark about Carlos Alcaraz's collaboration with Iga Swiatek at the 2023 US Open Kids' day.
Swiatek and Alcaraz dazzled everyone on the special event right before the start of their campaign at Flushing Meadows. The two World No. 1s teamed up for some mixed doubles on Saturday, and the eager crowd got more than they expected.
Alcaraz and Swiatek played a few points of football tennis and showed how focused and competitive they can be by winning a one-minute point and letting loose with some classic celebrations.
In light of this, Venus Williams joked on Carlos Alcaraz's Instagram post about how she was replaced in the blink of an eye.
"I got replaced so fast…!" Williams wrote.
Alcaraz responded to the seven-time Grand Slam champion, writing:
"@venuswilliams i thought we were at pickleball."
Williams was referring to her collaboration with Alcaraz at a pickleball event in New York.
A recent video posted on Instagram had shown the tennis stars switching from traditional tennis rackets to pickleball paddles. They playfully volleyed the plastic ball back and forth, letting out beaming smiles and infectious laughter.
Carlos Alcaraz is the defending champion at the US Open 2023
Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning US Open champion, will begin his title defense against Dominik Koepfer on Wednesday (August 30). He could face sixth seed Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals.
The top seed is attempting to win his third Major title. Alcaraz is projected to play 16th seed Cameron Norrie in the fourth round and is in the same half as third seed Daniil Medvedev, who will possibly face him in the semi-finals.
Alcaraz could then encounter Novak Djokovic in the final, in a rematch of their Cincinnati summit clash last week. The pair also met in the semifinals of the French Open, where the Serb prevailed, and again in the final of the Wimbledon Championships, where the Spaniard took the trophy home.
In a press conference prior to the start of the US Open, Carlos Alcaraz was asked how it felt to be the defending champion. He replied that he was not thinking about it and was only concerned with improving his game.
"Probably, but I try not to think about that. This week, this practice week, I try to do exactly the same thing that I did last year, trying to practice the same way that I'm going to play, and focus on that," Alcaraz said.
"I'm not focus on the defending champion, the points, whatever. I'm just focus on show my best level, try to improve in every practice, and let's see how is going to be the tournament," he added.